Flue-cleaning apparatus



E. M.-JENKINS AND R. E. JACKSON.

ELUE CLEANING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1919.

1,416,209. Patented y 16, 1922.

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E. M. JENKINS AND R. E. JACKSON. FL'UE CLEANING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, I919.

Patented May16,192

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E. M. JENKINS AND R. E. JACKSCN.

FLUE CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24 L919.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Figure 10 UNlTE-D .SVTATESV PATENT OFFICE.

, Epwmu. 'Jnnxmsnnn ROBERT E. JACKSON, or PRINCETON, wnsrr VIRGINIA.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat we,EnWIN M. Jn'NnINs and ROBERT ,E. Jackson, citizens of the United States, residin -at Princeton, in the.

county of Mercer and State of "West, Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F lue-Cleaning Apparatus,

of which the following is a specification.

The presentinvention relates to improvements in apparatus for cleaning the flues or tubes of railway locomotive boilers or other boilers. i

. An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus: of the ;.above-mentioned character whichis adapted to be operated from'the' exterior of the boiler so that it is not necessary to wait. until the boiler cools.

A further object. of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned character which is simple in construction, inexpensive to-manutacture, and. reliable in operationmfl .f

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

'In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificationand in which like numerals are employed to'designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a, central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the fire-box of a railway locomotive, showing a portion of my apparatus arranged therein, in a position for cleaning one of the fines or tubes;

Figure 2 is-an end elevation of the apparatus, in use, the fire-box being shown in section on line 22-0f Figure 1;

Figure 3 isa central longitudinal sectional view through the cylinder and: associated;

elementsof the cleaning apparatus; ;Figure 4 is a side elevation of: the supporting element ofthe apparatus;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view,

1 through the cover and associated elements;

and

a detail section ota slightly 7 FLUE-GLEANING APPARATUS;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 16,1922.

Application filed. March 24, 1919. Serial No. 284,771.

different form of nozzle member.

. Tn-the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 20 designates the fire box of a railway locomotive, having at its rear end an opening21, for the introductioncf the coal. At the forward end of theqfire-box are the tubes or-flues 22, to be cleaned. The sides of the fire-box are provided with openings, in transverse alinement, and receiving thimbles'23, which are adapted to loosely receive a'transverse tubular support 24. 1 The outer ends of the thimbles are surrounded by a reinforcing ring. 25, rigidly held in place by bolts 26. This reinforcing ring is adapted to be covered by a door or head 27, held in place byalever 28, pivoted thereto, as shown at 29. The-ends of the lever are adapted to engage within latches 30, having oppositely extending openings, and rigidly secured to receiving contact the ring 25... When the flue cleaning appaor slot 31,.for a purpose to be described, and

brackets32 are rigidly secured to the rear side of the tubular support, the outer brackets having connection with brace rods 33, engaging within recesses formed in the innerbrackets32. The inner ends of the rods shown. It is thus seen that means are provided to reinforce the tubular support. The tubular support has a crank or handle 35 secured to one end thereof, to turn the same, or hold the same against turning movement.

The numeral 36 designates an air supply pipe, one end of which projects outwardly beyond one end of the tubular support 24:, as shown in Figure 2. This supply .pipe 36 is provided eXteriorly of the tubular support 24 witha valve 36; The pipe 36 is detachably connected with a hose orthe likehav ing suitable connection with a source of compressed air or other fluid pressure. As more clearly'shown in Figure 6, the opposite end of the air supply pipe 36 is screw threaded for engagement within an opening 37 of a coupling 38, which isfiattened to operate within the longitudinal opening 31.

This coupling also serves to prevent the pi e 36 from turning upon its longitudinal axis with relation to the tubular support 24.

The "coupling 38 has its forward end screw-threaded, for connection with a head 39, screw-threaded to a cylinder 40. The opposite end of this cylinder is closed by a head 41 having screw threaded engagement therewith. The head 41 has screw threaded engagement with a tube 42, carrying a cap 43, sc-rew -threaded therewith. Mounted to reciprocate within the cylinder 40 is a piston 44, having connection with a tubular piston rod 45, extending through the cap '43. The piston 44 is provided with an opening 46, in communication with the bore "of the tubular piston rod 45, and a compressible coil spring 47 surrounds the tubular piston rod and serves to return the piston 44 to the normal starting positicn when the supply of fluid pressure is cut off from the cylinder 40, the piston being moved forwardly when the fluid pressure is introduced therein.

Connected with the forward 'end of the tubular piston rod is a preferably globular nozzle 48, provided with a forward outlet opening 49. This nozzle is mounted to turn in an opening formed in a "two-part contact ring or member. This member comprises aforward part 51-, a rear part 52, and bolts serving toconnect the same, The nozzle 48 is free to turn in -the'contact ring, and the contact ring may be 'angula'rly adjusted upon the globular nozzle 48.

In Figure 1:0, we have shown a di' flterent form o f-contact ring, the same being ipreferably formed in two sections 54 and 55, which may. be of wood, secured together by screws 56. This contacting ring is also angularly'adjustable upon the nozzle 48.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The tubular coupling 38 is disconnected from the pipe 36 and the cylinder 40 and coupling 38 and associated elements introduced into'the lire box or the locomotive by passing the same through one of the thimbles 23 which has a suitably large diameter, for this "purpose. The cylinder and assooiated elements are now suitably supported or, held in the ire-box by tongs or like implements passed through the thim'ble and the air supply pipe 36 is next screwed into the opening 37. This pipe nowse'rvesas a temporary support for the cylinder 40 and associated elements. The tubular support 24 is now passed through the two thimbles 23, 'the'coupling 38 passing through the longitudinal opening3l in the tubular support. The cylinder 40 and associated elements are longitudinally adjusted by sliding the compressed air supply tube within "the tubular support, so that the nozzle 48 is brought into i il'linement with a vertical row "of tubes or ues.

The tubular support 24 is turned with the selected tube or flue in the vertical row. The compressed air is now supplied to the tube 36 by opening the valve 38,- and this compressed air "forces the piston 44 forwardly, causing the cont-act plate to enter the rear end of the flue. The compressed air also passes in the flue to clean the same. As soon as the supply of compressed air is cut cit, the spring 47 will automatically return the piston 44 to the rear position, withdrawing the contact plate 50 from within the rear end of the flue, thereby allowing of the turning movement of the tubular support 24, to b'ringthe contact ring in alinement with another'flue in the same vertical set.

It is tobe understood'that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope "of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim I i 1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a boiler having flu'es and a fire box, said fire box having openings formed in its sides, of a rotatable support extending through said openings and arranged in the flre box, and a longitudinally extensible flue cleaning device adapted to be passed through one of said openings, said cleaningdevice being movable longitudinally of said support.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a boiler having fines and a fire-box, said fire-box having openings formed in its opposite sidespof a flue cleaning device adapted to be passed through one of the openings, a supporting element adapted to be passed through the fire box with its end portions projecting into the openings, means for detachably connecting the cleaning device with the supporting element, said "cleaning device being adjustable longitudinally to contact with the end of the flue, and means whereby the supporting ated flue cleaning device adapted to be passed through one of the openings, a transverse supporting element arranged within said openings, means connecting the flue cleaning device with the supporting element so that the device may be adjusted longitudinally of the supporting element, means for supplying fluid pressure to the device, and

means whereby the supporting element may be turned upon its longitudinal axis.

4. In apparatus for cleaning the flues of a boiler having a fire-box provided in its sides with openings, a tubular support arranged within the openings and provided connected with the flue cleaning apparatus,

and means whereby the tubular support may be turned upon its longitudinal axis.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a tubular support provided upon one side with a longitudinal slot, a pipe slidably mounted within the tubular support, a coupling operating within the longitudinal slot and connected with the pipe, a cylinder connected with the coupling, a piston mounted to reciprocate within the cylinder and having an opening formed therein, a tubular piston rod connected with the piston and having its bore in communication with the opening of the piston, a spring to move the piston in one direction, and a nozzle connected with the forward end ot the tubular piston rod.

6. In apparatus of the character described, atubular support provided upon one side with a longitudinal slot, a pipe eX- tending into the tubular support, a coupling operating within the longitudinal slot and connected with the pipe, a cylinder connected with the coupling, a piston mounted to reciprocate within the cylinder and having an opening formed therein, a tubular piston rod connected with the piston and having its bore in communication with the opening of the piston, a spring to move the piston in one direction, a nozzle connected with the tubular piston, and a contact ring pivotally receiving the nozzle.

7. In apparatus of the character described, a tubular support provided upon one side with a longitudinal slot, a coupling slidably mounted within the slot and provided within the tubular support with a screw threaded opening, a pipe having one end screw-threaded to engage within the screw threaded opening, a fluid pressure operated flue cleaning device carried by the coupling, and means whereby the tubular support may be turned upon its longitudinal axis.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a tubular support provided upon one side with a longitudinal slot, reinforcing means arranged upon the opposite side of the tubular support and extending longitudinally thereof and connected therewith, a coupling slidably mounted within the tubular support and having a portion thereof extending through the longitudinal slot, means to supply fluid pressure to the cou pling, a fluid pressure operated flue cleaning device carried by the coupling, and means whereby the tubular support may be turned upon its longitudinal axis.

9. In apparatus of the character described, a supporting element adapted to be arranged transversely of the boiler, a fluid pressure operated flue cleaning device carried thereby and adjustable thereon, means whereby said cleaning device may be alined with the end of a flue, and means operable by the admission of fluid pressure thereto to longitudinally extend said cleaning device.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a supporting member adapted to be arranged transversely of the boiler, a fluid pressure operated flue cleaning device car- .ried thereby and adjustable thereon, said flue cleaning device being provided with a flue engaging end, and means operable by the admission of fluid pressure thereto to longitudinally extend said cleaning deviceto bring the flue engaging end thereof into engagement with a flue of the boiler.

11. In apparatu of the character described, a supporting member adapted to be arranged transversely of the boiler, a flue cleaning device carried thereby and adjustable thereon, said flue cleaning device being provided with a flue engaging end, means for adjusting said flue cleaning device on said support, and pressure operated means for extending said flue cleaning device upon its longitudinal axis.

In testimony whereof we afflx our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN M. JENKINS. ROBERT E. JACKSON. W'itnesses C. J. MOORE, E. M. DICKINSON. 

